Final answer:
The claim that airway thickness increases in asthma patients, reducing the local shear modulus by 50%, is false. Asthma causes increased airway resistance due to inflammation and narrowing of the airways, not a reduction in shear modulus.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement that in patients suffering from asthma, the thickness of the airway increases, resulting in a reduction of the local shear modulus of the airways by as much as 50% compared to the airways of a healthy person is false. In asthma, the airways do become inflamed and narrowed due to inflammation, edema, and muscle contractions around the bronchioles, as well as excessive mucus production. However, this thickening and these reactions actually increase airway resistance rather than making them more compliant or reducing the shear modulus.
During an asthma attack, the airways become clogged with mucus alongside inflammation and bronchial constriction. The increased resistance makes it harder for air to flow through the airways, causing difficulty breathing and other symptoms like wheezing, chest tightness, and coughing. This is further complicated by V/Q mismatch changes that affect gas exchange.